The reinforcements to accommodate the Trophy B-kit have created a bit of work, with the rearmost upright of the turret side rails being the trickiest. Getting those webs even close to right was challenging. Of course, neither side of this part is symmetrical!
Also visible is the extended antenna mount.
I’ve been putting off the rework of the Blue Force Tracker box, but I think it is now time.
Thanks for looking in.
That’s looking very nice. I think you’re got the right size on the teeth. I have no idea if you can see it in 1/16, but the teeth to not come to a point where they meet on the inner portion. They have sort of a “step” over to the next toorth. If you expand this you can see what I mean:
Thanks @18bravo - yep know what you mean, the “flat” between the outer surface of the teeth is mirrored on the inside surface. I chose sanity, so it’s close but not 100% prototypical. Working to 0.395 of a degree for a 30 degree segment was tedious enough for me! Nice pic, btw.
The Blue Force Tracker box &, more specifically, the patch panel underneath, is at the intersection of three surfaces at a five degree, 30-degree, & 45-degree angles. Add the bustle rack to the equation, & it gets complicated quickly.
As such, I’ve mocked up digital twins of some of the components. These are then printed & validated. Sometimes they’re more distant cousins than twins, so some refinement is needed.
Here’s the overall view:
Here’s a closer view.
The patch panel underneath the BFT box is the tricky bit.
Thanks for looking in.
More arts & crafts to map the SEP v3 camouflage scheme.
Diagonals are black, dashes are green, untouched is tan.
The bustle progresses. Unlike earlier iterations, I won’t be printing the horizontal bars. At 1.2mm, they’re too thin to print without warping.
As always, thanks for looking in.
The BFT box + the patch panel + the turret rail upright + the Trophy reinforcement = an integration nightmare.
The somewhat snaggletoothed reinforcement webs are as close to the 1:1 as I’m prepared to get to.
Still some detail to finish off, but I’m test printing the whole thing as an assembly to check the fit before I go nuts on detail.
Thanks for looking in.
This is all very well and please keep the illustrations coming but now us mortals have to try this in 1/35😂
The differences between tanks fitted for Trophy & not continue to become more & more apparent.
Here’s a comparison between a US Army SEP v3 I was climbing on in Georgia (state-type) in April vs. the Australian one I was all over in Victoria, Australia.
Look at the position of the mounting boss & fitting on the conduit for the BFT.
More work!
Printed the updated BFT conduit, then added anti-slip texture via Tamiya textured paint. Will have to learn how to add the texture digitally one of these days.
Test fit of the CITV ballistic shroud/GPS antenna mount.
Turns out the shroud impinges upon the CITV by less than half a mm!
Thanks for looking in.
Trying to sort out the conduit between the CROWS-LP base & the connecting point to the BFT conduit. It’s a tricky shape.
Test fit of the VCSU, using the kit holes for the APU. Need to shift toward the centreline by 1.5mm to clear the bustle rack. Also visible is the form factor test of the patch panel adjacent the cross wind sensor.
Of course, the US & Australian ones differ courtesy of the fridge.
(Both pics mine)
Thanks for looking in.
Thanks to a work-imposed hiatus, here’s the turret as at this morning.
The VCSU & fridge are mostly done.
Time to finish the Australian stuff, in this case the brush guards for the tow cable that differ from those fitted to the US SEP v3s.
Digital modelling only for a week or so.
Thanks for looking in.
Back from o/s means back to work.
I’ve now tweaked the patch panel.
Also updated the loader’s skate ring to incorporate the base for the machine gun.
Thanks for looking in.
The gunner’s machine gun, mount, & shield are next on the run sheet. Some tricky geometry going on!
Of course they’re different to the TUSK LAGS/TAGS!
Anyhow, thanks for looking in.
Returning to the upper hull to align the progress.
I’ve recently discovered self-adhesive printer paper. To use this for accurately plotting location holes to be drilled, I’ve turned a few of my designs into drawings. I then print the pdf, cut it out, and put it in position.
The holes are then drilled, & the printed parts, in this case for the UAAPU, are test fit.
More work to be done, ofc.
Thanks for looking in.
Do you use it for stencils too?
I don’t. This is an interim until I get my silhouette cutter up & running.
Largely finished the engine deck, including the antislip.
Then primed it.
On to the glacis.
That looks amazing. 
